February 2019 Minutes
WHAPLODE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
WEDNESDAY 20th FEBRUARY 2019
AT SARACENS HEAD VILLAGE HALL
Present as per register.
Present; County Cllr Pepper, four members of the public and the Clerk.
Apologies:
Cllrs Merchant, Stimson, Hefford and Rout.
Public Forum:
Alan Beal and Paul Redgate introduced themselves as prospective District Councillors, Alan enquired about the cemetery chapel and was advised that a further bat report was needed in May. D Barford from the Elizabethan centre asked for some support to complete funding requests and the Clerk will contact direct.
Matters arising:
The minutes of the December meeting and the January finance meeting having been previously circulated were agreed by members and signed by the Chairman.
Police matters;
No report had been submitted.
Finance Report;
The Clerk reported the following cheques for payment which members agreed,
101898 G Hawkes salary/expenses £ 348.53
101899 MGM £ 360.00 vat £60.00
101900 SHDC £ 3,812.40 vat £635.40
101801 M Goose £ 720.00 vat £120.00
Balances:
High interest a/c £ 69,806
Business Prem £ 25,413
Current a/c £ 8,864
Less cheques £ 5,240
Balance £ 98,843
Members also agreed to accept the SHDC grass cutting contract for 2019- 2020 at £3,282.86.
Date of next meeting:
The date for the next parish meeting on the 10th April 2019 at Whaplode Cllr Barlow will book venue.
Planning applications,
The Clerk reported that applications had been dealt with as per annexed.
Allotments;
The Clerk reported that Carter Jonas were dealing with the return of the rented land to the Crown Estate, eventually we will be asked to sign a deed of release – there will be no cost to the parish council.
Cllr Barlow reported that he had reviewed the 139 acres that the parish council own and had referred this matter regarding updated tenancies to Mossop & Bowser who had agreed to undertake the work and Cllr Barlow motioned a proposal that a budget of £2,500 be initially set aside to meet the cost. This was seconded by Cllr Chandler and agreed by members.
Star of India footpath:
The Clerk will contact Mr Sampson to arrange a site visit.
Highway matters:
Whaplode village – Cllr Chandler advised that negotiations with the Post Office about the proposed closure were ongoing.
Saracens Head – Cllr Langstaff advised that the Saltney gate streetlighting was causing a problem she had contacted Highways who were reluctant to turn the light back on.
Whaplode St Catherines – no issues
Whaplode Drove – the SID has now been in place for 6 weeks.
Whaplode St Catherines playing field:
The field was reported in good order.
Whaplode playing field;
Cllr Merchant was absent so there was no update.
The Elizabethan Centre:
The Clerk will liaise with D Barford about the ongoing funding needs of the centre and the fund raising request to the wind farm fund.
Whaplode cemetery report by Clerk:
The Clerk reported that a site meeting was completed on the 16th January and included the grave digger. Phase 1 of the tree work had been completed and further remedial work on some substantial self set trees.
The Clerk will update the Tointons now that their planning had been passed about the cemetery chapel.
Whaplode dog poo issue:
This had been raised by Cllr Hefford and had been referred to the SHDC dog warden.
The Great British Spring Clean:
Cllr Chandler has purchased three litter picking kits and ward members will organize local events.
General correspondence & general business;
The Clerk reported that SHDC now have a pest control team.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 20.35